The BGSU softball team (13-10, 1-2 MAC) hosted the Central Michigan Chippewas (11-11, 2-1 MAC) in game three of their weekend series on Sunday, losing 8-2.
Central Michigan got two runners on base and opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field. Falcon senior pitcher Mackenzie Krafcik closed the half-inning with a strikeout. At the bottom of the inning, senior utility Katie Hutter hit a double that landed just short of the fence. She went for home on a hit by junior first baseman Taylor Behrendt, but was caught out at home plate. The Falcons went scoreless, leaving two runners on base.
CMU sophomore Tori Briggs started the inning with a home run to right field. Junior infielder Rachel Cairo hit a double to the left-field warning track. She scored on a sac fly as the Chips pulled ahead, 3-0. Emma Lotus and Angela Petrovitch scored on a double by sophomore outfielder Jenna Kuzara. Kuzara then scored on a double by infielder Grace Koenig, putting the Chips ahead 6-0 as the Falcons still searched for their third out. They finally got it with a strikeout.
“I love that we continued to compete; we didn’t just give up,” head coach Michelle Gardner said. “But I felt like we came out a little flat to start, and they were on the offensive.”
Redshirt sophomore third baseman Addie Martin struck out at the bottom of the inning. CMU pitcher Mackenzie Langan secured two more strikeouts to end the inning.
Freshman pitcher Avari Sandifer took Krafcik’s place at the mound.
Cierra Laska scored with two outs to put the Chips ahead 7-0. BG went scoreless with no hits and one error at the bottom of the third.
Kuzara hit a deep homer to right field to put CMU ahead 8-0. Another Falcon pitcher, sophomore Morgan Beckham, took the mound. The Falcon outfield tightened up to get three outs, but the Orange and Brown went scoreless on offense.
“My thought was to do my best and keep us in the game,” Beckham said. Beckham allowed zero runs during her innings pitched.
The Falcon defense held the Chips scoreless at the top of the fifth; Martin closed out the half-inning by catching a fly ball to the left infield.
Junior right fielder Peyton Steffes opened the Falcon scoring with a home run to right field; it was her first homer of the season. Hutter got on base with a fly ball to right field. Behrendt got on base with a line drive to center field. Senior outfielder Delaney Davis, pinch-running for Hutter, scored on a line drive from senior catcher Ashley Chevalier. The Falcons trailed 8-2.
Martin caught a pop fly from Kuzara to get the Falcons’ second out. Beckham delivered a strikeout to close the half-inning.
“I thought Morgan did a really good job,” Gardner said. “She competed today, and that is what I need, for her to compete.”
Up at bat, Martin got on base with a line drive to right field. With Steffes up to bat, Martin stole second base, but Steffes struck out, ending the inning.
Freshman left fielder Hannah Simko caught back-to-back fly balls to give the Falcons their first two outs. Beckham threw a strikeout to close the half-inning.
The Falcons failed to tally a hit in the bottom of the seventh, as CMU sealed the 8-2 win and took a 2-1 series win to open MAC play.
“At the end of the day, we took a game against Central, and I am happy about that,” Gardner said. “If we get better and learn from this, I will be happy.”
Beckham has seen the team develop.
“There has been a lot of progress from last year, and I think we are stronger physically and mentally,” Beckham said. “Just putting everything together is what we need to focus on.”
The Falcons travel to Western Michigan on Friday, March 20, at 3:00 p.m. Coverage can be found at bgfalconmedia.com and at WBGU 88.1 FM.
